top of page
Search

OverseasDiaries Issue 1: Should you apply to the US for residency?

Updated: Nov 24, 2020


If you’re like most Pakistani med students, the thought of going abroad to do your residency or pursue any future studies must’ve entered your mind at one time or another. The lure of foreign lands and the freedom associated with it is an inspiration to many. For others, it’s the possible prospect of settling down in a country that offers more security and stability than our own. And some are mainly excited at the financial prospects with salaries in most countries usually far exceeding those that can be offered in Pakistan. In most cases, it’s a mixture of all these factors that encourage people to take that step to apply abroad.


But how do you decide which country to aim for? After all, it’s an incredibly huge, potentially life-altering decision. For some people it’s easy; they have relatives or citizenship to a specific country which makes it easy for them to decide where they want to set their sights. But if you’re (like yours truly) not that lucky, here is a brief (hopefully unbiased) look at one of the most popular countries that Pakistani medical graduates aim for and go to post MBBS and some of its pros and cons.

United States of America




One of the most, if not the most, common locations for most Pakistani MBBS students post-graduation in the country with the biggest economy in the world, The United States of America.


Benefits of being a doctor in the USA


Excellent healthcare systems


As would be expected from a country that spends more money on health than perhaps any other, the US has a very robust healthcare system. Many of the best hospitals in the world such as the Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic, and the Massachusetts General Hospitals are in the US and there is no doubt that the quality of services provided is very high. It wouldn't be wrong to assume that doctors trained in such an environment would be one of the best in the world and indeed the US consistently ranks around or at the top of the list of the countries with the best doctors in the world.



Higher salaries


While finances should not strictly be the motivation towards working in the medical field, there is no doubt that is a very important factor when considering any job. And in this regard, the US definitely scores very highly. Though salaries understandably vary widely among states, localities, specialties, and types of practice; the pay check for the average doctor is almost $300k/year according to a Medscape report. Even medical residents on average earn above $60k annually. Safe to say; if you make it money and you shouldn’t have a lot of problems.



Better opportunities


As compared to other common countries that IMGs go to such as UK, Australia, UAE, etc., there is no doubt that the US has an unmatched amount of diversity as far as career opportunities in the medical field go. From research and development to innovation in medical technologies and healthcare entrepreneurship, the US leads the way and this culture means you can explore countless related fields that could not be imagined in most other countries. If you are someone who has always been keen to pursue a career path in medicine and healthcare outside of the traditional mold, the US should definitely be your target!

Some cons of applying for /being a doctor in the US

Extremely difficult to find a job

With all the benefits of working as a doctor in the US, it’s hardly surprising that the process of matching into a US residency is incredibly competitive. Even passing the USMLE which, in itself is an extremely rigorous and lengthy licensing exam does not by any means guarantee a job. Far from it. You must score extremely well apart from having an outstanding CV and letters of recommendation from the hospitals which you aim for, in most cases. For IMGs the process is even more competitive and it is a sad reality that many applicants do not succeed.


Burnout Culture


Burnout culture and extremely high levels of stress are a rising problem in our modern world but this problem is especially prevalent in all US industries. And the health industry and physicians are its biggest victims. A 2016 study of residents of all specialties at a tertiary academic center reported an overall burnout rate of 69%, with a 78% rate among surgical residents and a 66% rate among non-surgical residents According to a Harvard report: “physician burnout is “a public health crisis that urgently demands action.” If you’re someone who doesn’t do particularly well in stressful conditions the US might not be the place for you.



Long Working Hours


Many people have attributed burnout culture and worsening mental health among doctors to extremely long working hours in extremely stressful workplace conditions. For example, many resident doctors working in the US work approximately 100 hours a week or even more and are quite often expected to be on call at all times. While this obviously depends on specialties, anyone who wants to be successful in the US system must be prepared for at least a few years of extremely hard work and sacrificing a work-life balance.


So that’s it for now! In further articles, we’ll take a deep dive and explore all of these topics (and more) in greater detail. We’ll be doing the same for other countries around the globe too so stay tuned!


“To achieve great things, two things are needed: a plan and not quite enough time.”

― Leonard Bernstein




References


Comments

bottom of page